Thombare poised for a double

Second seeded Prarthana Thombare will clash with unseeded Sowjanya Bavisetti in the singles final of the $10,000 Endurance MSLTA ITF Women's tennis tournament here Saturday.

Thombare also placed herself in line for a coveted double crown after winning the final of the doubles event partnering Ankita Raina as the pair defeated Shweta Rana and Rishika Sunkara 6-3, 6-3.

In the singles semi-finals Friday, the 400th ranked Thombare stopped the winning run of eighth seeded Nidhi Chilumula 7-6 (4), 6-2 in one hour, 20 minutes, while left-handed Bavisetti kept her splendid form to stun sixth seeded Prerna Bhambri 6-4, 6-0 in 70 minutes.

Thombare, supported by Bharat Forge, Lakshya and MSLTA, hit solidly on both flanks, and led 4-3, 40-15, in the first set, but dropped serve to let Chilumula level at 4-4. Both players held serve to force a tie-break. Thombare hit four winners and won the first set.

In the second set, Thombare came up with a series of forehand crosscourt winners to race to 5-1 lead and close the set at 6-2 and make it to her second final in a USD 10,000 event.

In the second semi-final, Bavisetti, who is having a splendid week, used her opponent's pace to register a resounding win over giant-killer and national champion Bhambri.

Bhambri led 3-1 in the first set, but Bavisetti levelled at 3-3, and then broke in the ninth game to win the set. Bhambri looked a little uncomfortable with her shoulder before going down 6-0 and letting the Hyderabadi youngster Bavisetti into her second final.